Dharanidhar University

ABOUT
Department Of Anthropology

Department of Anthropology under the genesis of Dharanidhar University dates back to the year 1992. Anthropology as a subject has its beginning in the erstwhile college in +2 level since 1981, and the first batch of +2 students passed out with Anthropology in Arts streams in year 1982. Till 1991 the subject was taught as a pass subject in the erstwhile college. Anthropology having practical teaching was a unique subject in the Arts stream and attracted a good number of students to opt for this subject in degree level. So it has opened its + 3 Degree wing after a few years with the provision of Honours teaching in 1992; with provision of 16 seats. With introduction of research expedition of field work training programme for 20 days duration in a rural and tribal areas. Submission of a field dissertation was included in the Honours syllabus as a separate paper with 100 marks.
Considering the growing demand among the students for opting Anthropology in UG level the subject increased its seats from 16 to 32 seats in the year 2019. This was the only college in Keonjhar which has Anthropology in UG level. Earlier in Keonjhar no colleges were offering P.G., the students of Keonjhar have to depend on Utkal University and Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University. Students of erstwhile college were deprived of getting opportunity to study Anthropology in their home town. There are nine Core papers, DSE four papers in final year, each core papers have practical and project papers and one practical paper including the submission of a dissertation by undertaking Field study training programme in a remote tribal or rural village, for each branch of specialization for a period of 20 days; it have been introduced in the syllabus as a full paper with 100 marks.

Prof. B.B Maharana the then Professor and Head Department of Anthropology inaugurated the Department of Anthropology on 1987 under his headship. The teacher who founded the U.G in Department of Anthropology was Prof. D.K Mahanta. At present Coordinator of the Department is Dr. Sona Murmu, Assistant Professor in Anthropology.

1992

Year of Establishment

Dr. Sona Murmu

HOD & Assistant Professor

HOD's Message

As remarked by famous Anthropologist Ruth Benedict “The purpose of Anthropology is to make the world safe for Human Differences”. While science teaches ‘What life is’ Anthropology teaches ‘How life should be lived’. Managing diversity is the new world challenges; the world is facing today. Action Anthropology has dedicated itself for paradoxes that needs to be addressed, not only to deal with new world issues but also for the society as a whole; for Maintaining Socio-economic equilibrium for socially just society. The main objective of Department is to make student ready for ‘survival of the fittest’ journey of life. So that, when students will look back to introspect and retrospect they will feel proud to be an Anthropologist. Academic Excellence...

Class	Sanctioned strength	Enrolled Strength						Total
		Male			Female
		SC	ST	Gen	SC	ST	Gen
UG1^styear	32	03	06	02	03	08	08	30
UG2^ndyear	32	03	06	03	04	07	08	31
UG3^rdyear	32	03	06	04	02	07	07	29
P.G.PartI	16	01	05	01	02	02	04	15

National Seminar: Recently two days National Seminar on 1st and 2nd March 2024 was organised in collaboration with five Departments. The theme of the National seminar was ‘Tribes of Keonjhar: People, Culture and Heritage’.
Wall Magazine: The wall magazine ‘Anthropocene’ is displayed in the department with various paper cutting on different issues relating to the subject and papers relating to fieldwork prepared by the Honours and PG students.
Seminar Library: Besides the Central Library of this college, the Department has made an attempt to borrow books for reference, from the central library for use by the students and teachers in the department. The Department seminar Library is functioned with 30 books which are only used by the students on rotation, and it is operated by a teacher of the Department. Apart from this, journals are subscribed by the Central library for the students, teachers and the researchers.
Visual Anthropology: Photography and videography is done during the field work training programme. Students are taught how to take photograph from Visual Anthropological perspective. Ethnographic films logically proceeds from the belief that culture is manifested through visible symbols embedded in gestures, ceremonies, rituals and natural environment across various dimensions of time and space.
Celebration of events: Besides seminar activity of the department there is the customary practice of observing the welcome ceremony for welcoming the new comers to the Department. Farewell ceremony to bid farewell to outgoing students, and celebration of Saraswati Puja and Ganesh Puja in each academic sessions. Teachers Day and Children’s are also celebrated in the department.